Improvement in railroad-car seats and couches



T. WOODRUFF.

Car Seat and Couch.

Patented Dec 2, 1856,

0 t n e V n Witnesses:

AM. PHOTOLITNl C0. N.Y. (OSBSRHE'S PEOCZ SS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

T. T. WO ODRUFF, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN RAILROAD -CAR SEATS AND COUCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,160, dated December 2, 1856.

To all whom it may Concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE T. W001)- RUFF, of Alton, Madison county, and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Convertible Railroad-Oar Seats and Couches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a division of a railroad-car representing an elevation of one series of seats; Fig. 2, a cross vertical section of the same, taken at the line A a of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, another longitudinal vertical section, representing the seats converted to couches; Fig. 4, a cross-section of Fig. 3, taken at the line B b,- and Fig. 5, a section taken at the line C c of Fig. 2.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My said invention relates to a method of constructing the seats of railroad-cars sothat they can be readily converted into couches of sufficient length to enable passengers to lie down comfortably.

In the accompanying drawings, (t represents the floor of the car; I), one side, with the usual windows, 0 c, and d the roof. The car is to have the usual longitudinal passage-way between the ranges of seats, and it is to be divided by cross vertical partitions e 0 into longitudinal compartments of sufficient length for persons to lie down full length. These partitions extend a little more than one-half the distance between each side of the car and the longitudinal passage-way, and in the recess thus formed I place a permanent couch or cushioned or mattressed frame, f, occupying the whole length of such recess and a little more than half the width allotted to the division from the side of the car to the passageway, the upper surface being some ten or twelve inches below theusual height of a seat. Another couch or cushioned frame, g, resemblin g the one f, but,if desired, a little narrower, is then connected by a metal-j oint link or strap, h, at each end with the ends of the couch or frame f, one end of each link or strap being connected by a pin, on which it turns, with the end of the frame 9 near its rear edge and its other end in like manner with the end of the frame fat some suitable distance from the front edge thereof. Sufficient space should be left between the ends of the two frames and the partit-ions'e e for the free working of the two links or straps, which should be so located that the frame 9 can be drawn forward in front of the framefand down to the same level, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4, thereby forming a double couch of suliicient length and breadth for two persons to lie down side by side. In this position the front rail of the frame g is supported by two or more legs, 1 i, and the rear rail on two blocks or stands,j 9. By lifting up and pushing back the franieg over the framefit is elevated to the required height for sitting, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the feet resting on the blocks jj and projections t" i on the under face of the frame g, resting on the couch f. In front of each division there are two frames, 70 it, each resembling the frame of one side of a chair with the back standard of each in line with one of the partitions a, said frames being so placed as to form the line of the middle passage-way in the car. The lower part of these frames should be firmly secured to the floor of the car and the upper end of the back standard of each connected with one of the partitions e by a bar, 1. The connection should be solid, and I prefer to make it with an iron bolt passing through the bar.

The open space between the standards of the frames 70 7c and the front edge of the partitionsee should be at least equal to the breadth of one seat, and in height from the floor to the under edge of the bar I a little more than double the depth of a seat from the front edge to the back. In this open space I hang two chairseat frames, m n, properly formed and cushioned. Each of said frames is provided with a metal strap, 0, projecting beyond the back edge, and each strap has an eye near the end. The straps of one seat embrace the straps on the other, and a bolt, p,then passes through a hole in one of the frames 70 through the eyes in the straps and into the front edge of the corresponding partition, 6, and the space between the back edge of the two seats may be filled up, if desired, by a cylinder of wood, q, slipped onto the securingbolt 19. \Vhen the couches are arranged for the purpose of reclining the seat on is turned down and the seat It turned up in a vertical position, as represented in Figs. 3 and 4E, filling up the space between the front edge of the partitions e e and the frames 75 is; but when they are to be occupied as seats they are turned in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the front edge of each being supported on a button, 1', attached to the under side of the front rail of the frame g. By this arrangement each division will have two seats, m and n, in which two persons can sit face to face, and two or more seats on the couch or cushioned frame 9; but when it is desired to recline the seats at n are put in the position represented in Figs. 3 and 4, and the couch or cushioned frame 9 drawn out and let down, as represented in the said figures, so that two persons can recline at full length on the two couches fand 9. For the accommodation of another person, the back a, which in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2 forms a back-cushion for persons sitting on the cushioned frame g, is a cushioned frame, formed likef and g, and hinged by metal plates t 1, one at each end near the upper or back edge, and adapted to turn on hinge-pins in the partitions e 6, so that by lifting up the forward edge to a level with the back edge, and holding up the said forward edge bya spring-catch, u, secured to the partitions, a couch is formed for one person on a level with the Windows.

There is a fourth couch or cushioned frame, '0, which in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2 forms an ornamental roof to the division of the car. This frame is hung at each end to a pendulous hanger, 20, having two wings, as represented in Fig. 4. The upper end is suspended to and turns on a stud-pin, m, projecting from each partition 6; and on each end of the said frame there are two stud-pins, one near the front edge and the other near the back edge--the one near the back edge fitted to turn in a hole in the rear wingof the hanger, and the front one is fitted to slide in a mortise in the front wing of the hanger, so that when the said frame is turned down in a horizontal position, with the cushioned face up, as repsented in Figs. 3 and 4, it-is suspended by the hangers at the ends, the pins at the ends of the frame resting in the wings of the hangers. This forms a couch for a fourth person; and for the convenience of getting to this elevated position there is a bar, 11 to answer the purpose of a step, which bar is provided at the ends with metal straps z z, the upper ends of the said straps being suspended to stud -pins in the partitions. When this upper frame is not to be used as a couch it is partly turned on the rear pins, which hang in the rear wings of the hangers, the front pins sliding in the slots in the front wing of the said hangers, and then the entire frame can be turned over, with its hangers in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the cushioned face forming the ceiling of the division, and it is there secured in place by throwing up the step-bar 3 and securing it in place by a spring-catch, a, the face of the step bar forming, if desired, an ornamental cornice. By having the front pins on the ends of the frames '0 fitted to slots in the front win gs of the hangers so as to turn for a short distance on the rear wings the whole can be turned over in a much smaller compass than could be done otherwise.

I have contemplated adding a fifth couch by hinging a fifth frame to the front edge of the third frame, 8, and making it sufficiently thin to fold under the said frame 8 and to lie back of it when the said frame 8 is placed in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 2, to answer the purpose of a back for persons sitting, and in like manner a sixth frame can be added to the fourth frame, so as to lie aboveit when in the-position represented in Figs. 1 and 2; but as I make no claim of invention to the proposed addition of the fifth and sixth cushioned frames I deem it unnecessary to give a detailed description of them or to represent them in the drawings.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that many changes may be made in the mere mode of construction without materially changing the principle of my said inventionas, forinstance, the fourth couch or cushioned frame, 4), instead of being suspended to pendulous hangers, may be connected by hangers and slide thereon, so as to be made to slide up to the roof of the car, instead of turning over. The four couches may be upholstered with a pillow, or separate pillows may be used, and, when not required, laid by under the cushioned framef, or in any other suitable manner. The hinged connections of the several parts may be differently constructed by the substitution of equivalent mechanical joints. The several seats and couches, instead of bein g framed and cushioned, may be prepared in any other suitable manner. The partitions e 0 may be made of open-work, or they may be made to extend up no higher than is necessary to form the re quired attachment of the lower couches; and the upper couch may be connected to hangers from the roof of the car or to brackets projectin g from the sides of the car-bod y. In short, many merely formal changes may be made within the range of my said invention. I have also contemplated the addition of wings to the partitions, so as to extend them over the chairs, and adding curtains to inclose each division, if desired; but as I make no claim of invention to any suclradditions it is deemed unnecessary to give a detailed description or representation of them.

Although I have described my said invention as being applied to cars as now generally employed on the railroads of the United States,

with a passage-way along the middle of the ear from end to end, which requires the couches to be placed longitudinally along the sides, it will be obvious that my said invention can be applied with equal facility with the couches placed across the car.

It is deemed unnecessary to describe rests for the feet, as they can be applied in various ways.

I claim- 1. In combination with the movable frame 9 and the fixed frame f, substantially as described, the employment of the movable seats at the ends of the several divisions, substantially as described, to give the required number of seats when the couches are not used for the purpose of reclining, as set forth.

2. Converting the back of the side seats into an elevated couch, as set forth, by connecting the upper or back edge of said back to the side of the car or to the partitions e 6 by hinged joints or other equivalent means, and holding it upin the required elevatedposition by means of catches orother equivalent means, as described, in combination with the movaable frame 9 and fixed frame f, or any equivalent therefor, as described.

3. The manner of connecting the upper or fourth couch with the car, substantially as described, so that it may be let down to be used as a couch or thrown up to the roof of the car when not required to be used, as set forth.

4. In combination with the said upper or fourth conch, the hinged or suspended step, substantially as described, for the double purpose of a step to give access to the said upper couch when used as such and as a means of securing said couch when thrown up out of the way, as set forth.

THEODORE T. VVOODRUFF.

Witnesses:

A. P. BRoWNE. WM. H. BISHOP. 

